How to Cook Spare Ribs

"Mise en place" is a French phrase meaning having everything in its place. Whether you're going to cook spareribs or even a simpler dish, mise en place applies. This gives you the opportunity to find out if you have all of your ingredients on hand and whether there's any prep work you need to complete in advance. It also helps you organize your tasks in sequence. This makes the process more fun and less complicated.

Instructions

1. Buy enough beef boneless ribs, which amount to about 3 servings for each pound of cooked meat. Look for meaty ribs with a minimal amount of fat. Prepare the ribs by trimming and removing the membrane, and refrigerate them until you're ready to start cooking.

2. Purchase a premixed Asian spice rub or make your own using your favorite recipe. It usually consists of star anise, peppercorns, fennel seeds, cloves and cinnamon, providing a fragrant oriental flavor to your ribs.

3. Gather the fruit and other ingredients for your glaze. When you apply a glaze towards the end of cooking process, you add another layer of flavor to your ribs. This can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated.

4. Decide what side dishes you want, and do the prep work in advance. Complete all of your sorting, washing, chopping and blanching, and arrange the items in the order that you'll be using them. If you're using fresh herbs, this is the time to pick them or clean up them up if you purchased them.

5. Keep the idea of mise en place as you work. The plan is to keep everything in one area, organizing each step in the cooking process. This makes cleanup easier, and you're less likely to forget a step or an ingredient.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow the ribs to marinate for several hours after you apply the rub to enhance the flavor.

Resources

• Recipe for Asian spice rub and plum glaze at Food Network.